Guest Feature: Fur, Friend or Faux? by Erin Allenn...

So it's time for my fourth guest post since I decided to take my blog break, and I can genuinely say that this whole guest post idea was fantastic and I am a genius! I've had such a great response from handfuls of budding writers and awesome bloggers alike and everyone has been really supportive. One such beautiful blogger is the lovely Erin from The 411 of Fashion. 

When this lady contacted me expressing her interest to write about the very important debate about genuine versus faux fur I leaped at the opportunity of having her on board. As a fashionista, and not necessarily an animal rights activist, I've often wondered to myself where I would draw the line in terms of what I would do to look good. It's a very personal thing really, depending on your own personal beliefs and some, like me, have what some people may call an 'odd' standpoint on the controversial topic. I believe that if I could get a good price on a vintage genuine fur, then I would buy it. I might not wear it as these days it can be kind of dangerous to sport real fur in public due to violent animal rights activists. However, I'd consider it a fair purchase, as I'd be owning what I think of as a fundamental piece of fashion history. Having said that, I would NEVER buy a new fur item, because these days we all know how awfully these animals are treated, and generally have a better idea of the difference between right and wrong. I also like to think that I'd never purchase from a brand that has used real fur since we learnt how horrible it is to kill animals in order to enhance our personal appearance. Even if I was about to purchase something not-fur-related because I'd hate to be seen as supporting a company that endorses cruelty in such a big way.

Like I said, some people may think that's a huge contradiction, but it's how I feel and it's a very personal topic where I think everyone is allowed their own opinion if they can argue it validly, intelligently and respectfully. Anyway, enough about what I think, let's see what the rather talented Erin has to say about this often compromising issue...

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"You murderer" With those slanderous words shouted at the poor Kim Catrall in the ever-forgiving film Sex and the City, we have to wonder if real fur will ever grace fashion weeks again? Whether we like it or not, everybody wants to create a reaction within the fashion landscape, even if it is wearing a ferret around your neck or a rabbit on your body. With fur always being a hot topic and the mass media always having something to say with reactions flying everywhere and dividing the industry, I began to think about my opinions on this topic. Would I sport a fur coat if I had the opportunity or just stick to fake fur? Would I want to create a reaction or just sink into the background of the fashion industry? An industry which usually encourages controversy.

Why must animals die when faux fur can look as chic as this?

With star studded celebs and hot-to-trot models tottering around with real fur jackets, gilets and scarves including the likes of Kate Moss, plus the ever-increasing popularity of vintage clothes, it's no wonder that the public domain has been hunting real fur jackets in recent years. However it's big name designers such as Mathew Williamson, Burberry and Mulberry who have previously used real fur in their collections that come as a shock. 

With electrocution, gassing and drowning as the top three ways that animals are killed for fashion it just shows the harsh realities of what designers are willing to do in order to cause a reaction. Of course we know how competitive the fashion world can be. However, what some designers will do to stay at the top of their game is horrific in my opinion. 

With real fur being ever-so-easy to get hold of and at the cheapest it's been for a long while, fashion conscious ladies of all ages are having a field day. Vintage stalls and festivals are in their prime with real fur being sold left, right and centre. A friend of mine bought a rabbit fur jacket for £15 - I must add my reaction was one of shock. Of course, this is all a case of personal preference.

Charities forcefully fighting the use of real fur including PETA set up a campaign using big name models announcing to the world that they are against the use of real fur with the slogan 'We'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur'. I'm sure this grabbed 99.9% of the male population, score! On a more serious level though, the release of this has had a hugely positive impact in the fashion world with real fur slowly vanishing from fashion weeks and fake fur rapidly becoming an ultimate must. Real fur momentarily became a craze of the past as fake fur sales rocketed.

Rocking another faux fur. You can still have that animal print look... without supporting murder of our furry friends! Check out your high-street faves for cruelty free chicness this A/W 2013.

However, our new found obsession with the fashions of the past has brought the debate back into the public eye and I have no doubt it will be everlasting. Real fur versus fake fur. Animals being killed versus animals kept alive. I know which one I'd pick. For me, wearing a rabbit has never been appealing.

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Its funny because to be honest, before Erin contacted me, I didn't find the debate between faux and real fur to be a contemporary or relevant one for us today... Following the 'We'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur' campaign which Erin refers to, I just kind of thought it was universally decided that, yes, it's wrong and unnecessary to use real fur and no we won't do it anymore. However, our obsession with trends of years gone by has allowed real fur to sneak back into our fashion consciousness and leaves us questioning exactly where we stand... My opinion is the same as in my little introduction, but I'd be interested to see what my readers have to say about the topic... Would you buy a vintage fur? Would you wear it? If Chanel decided to use zebras to make coats (and you were a millionaire) would you buy one if it looked nice enough?

Thank you for reading and definitely go and check out Erin's blog here. She does some fabulous outfit posts and her hair and make-up are always perfection... GO FOLLOW! Haha :) Thank you Erin, you've been great and you're more than welcome to guest post again. I've really enjoyed working with you :)

If you're interested in guest posting for HauteFuture, please check out this link and send me an email.

Love

gabriellasofia

x 

Guest Feature: Being Miss Thrifty by Victoria's Vintage...

My best pal Vikki has a very successful blog which you can find here. She's absolutely lovely and when she agreed to guest on HauteFuture during my blog break I was thrilled. She is my most save-savvy friend, so when she was wondering what to write about I agreed that it would be a great idea for her to share her bargain-grabbing tips with all of my followers, because times are hard and who doesn't want to save a little cash whilst shopping? This is what Vikki from Victoria's Vintage had to say...

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The phrase "one man's trash is another man's treasure" has never been truer. Increasing prices in everything from fuel and rent, to fashion and household products is forever rising. Now is a good time to look at your outgoings and see where your highest spends are going and how you can cut down on them. This doesn't mean you have to cut it out of your life totally though. When I realised I was spending a huge portion of my student loan on clothes, shoes and accessories I decided to change my spending ways, and started looking at how I can still buy these things without it costing so much.

 

My newest eBay bargain purchase; I wanted this from H&M in November but it went out of stock so quick. It was £20 in store, I got it on eBay for 99p! 

eBay is your friend. You shouldn't dismiss it as something that people use to dispose of their scabby old clothes and belongings. It takes a lot of time and effort (and fees) to list on eBay, so people tend to only list things that are actually worth selling. I have bought many items brand new with store tags on, and some things are still current season! Sometimes people have things such as unwanted gifts, or they just don't fit them or need them anymore. They then sell them on at a tiny fraction of the cost, which is where you can pick up the savings. You can pick up a dress for less than £5 including delivery, or you could pick up a new season dress for a bit more. You will almost always find something worth bidding for on eBay. I often search eBay for something I've regretted not buying in store, but then find I can pick it up even cheaper! Also, if you’re a bit crafty, you can always buy something in a couple of sizes larger if you really like it, and then sew it to your own size. I have never had a problem with a seller sending me something in bad condition, or not as described. But if you do have problems, Paypal is always on your side to get you your money back. So what have you got to lose? Check out eBay now to find some vintage or brand new goodies!

This dress was also 99p from ebay, new with tags and a belt!  

If you prefer to buy things in person rather than online, why not head to your local charity shop or car boot sale now the summer is approaching? These are a bit more hit and miss than eBay buying, where you can specifically search for something. But if you dig around long enough, you'll be sure to find something that catches your eye. Especially with home-wares, if it looks nice but a bit worn, think of ways in which you could spruce it up with a revamp. I often buy old wooden jewellery boxes and then sand them down and repaint them, decorating them with leftover fabrics or embellishments. You just need to buy some regular emulsion wall paint, sandpaper, and a paintbrush! You will have lots of up-cycled goodies in no time.

I bought this old jewellery box for £2 from a charity shop, with a lick of paint it looks shabby-chic! 

Prices at car-boot sales can be literally pennies, but if you’re brave, don't be afraid to haggle a little to get the price down... it's all part of the fun! With charity shops, remember that your cash will be going to a good cause, so recycle those goods into something new, whilst doing your bit for charity. Don't forget to recycle your old goods too, where you can make your own cash at car-boot sales or on eBay! You can list for free if you start your item for 99p, don’t be afraid that someone will buy your prized too-small Topshop dress for a quid; the prices will shoot up within the last hour! It's better to make a bit of money so you can buy something new, rather than keeping your things in the back of a wardrobe, never to be seen again until you throw them away. Sell them now while you can still make some money! You can also swap clothes with your friends to find new styles and make up new outfits.

If you really want to buy things brand new, that’s fine too. But don't forget; only buy something if you really need it AND can afford it. It may look pretty on the hanger, but when it’s never worn, what was the point in buying it? If you do need to buy it, always check to see if there are any current discounts or promotions. Especially if you are buying online, check discount websites such as HotUKDeals.com for any current discount codes, you can often save a percentage, or get free delivery, saving you up to £5! And if you have a student discount card, flaunt it! There are great savings to be made in many high street stores. Also, always shop around. Don't always head to one place, take a look in cheaper shops first. Don't be afraid of heading into Primark or even Tesco for your fashion fix, they're cheap, cheerful, and if you're only going to wear it a handful of times, what's the difference? Their quality and style might not be as bad as you think. And no one can really tell the difference unless you tell them! 

Other little hints and tips are:

·  If you see a competition, why not enter it? There’s a good chance you could win!

·  If you're planning a meal/day out, check if there are any 2 for 1 vouchers floating around the internet. 

·  Book your travel tickets in advance, this can save you lots on your regular train fares!

·  Try saving £5 or £10 a week, it will build up in no time, and you could then treat yourself!

·  If you see your favourite health and beauty products on special offer, why not stock up for when you run out?

 

 

A designer 'Gorgeous Couture' dress I won worth £140 from an online competition! 

I hope you enjoyed my guest post :) If you would like to find out about how I manage being thrifty, and still have the things that I like, check out my blog where you can see all my bargain buys, DIY projects, and competition wins!

***

So there you have it! I've always been a bit apprehensive of purchasing on eBay, and I've never been lucky enough to find a designer handbag in the back of a charity shop. However,  now I've read this, I think I must persevere as my fashion habit is quite an expensive one... What do you think? Have you ever used eBay, or been into entering competitions? Picked up any bargains recently? I've been naughtily shopping at River Island online recently... Managed to bag some real steals!

Hope you liked this guest feature. If you're interested in writing for HauteFuture, no matter what your experience I would definitely welcome you! Go read this post and send me an email :)

In the meantime, definitely check out Victoria's Vintage blog page... she's currently running a giveaway, so if you win make sure you share your prize with me as you saw her here first :P

Got some more great guest posts lined up for the next two weeks, so keep an eye out. Until next time, beauties!

Love

gabriellasofia

x

Guest Feature: Long-Distance Fairy-Tale Relationships by Karyn O'Donnell...

With the summer creeping fast upon us, dreams of cocktails on a beach with a Mexican masseur to hand are not uncommon. What? Was that just me? Awkward... Anyway, as I was thinking about how the above would undoubtedly make my USA summer even more fun, I automatically remembered the luckiest girl I know. Karyn is one of my best friends, and she was fortunate enough during our shared summer working at Walt Disney World to meet a very handsome Mexican man called Mau (pronounced m-owh not m-ee-owh like a cat... was that just me too?). They enjoyed an envy-inducing holiday romance and are still going strong today! I know, you cynics out there are shaking your heads, gob-smacked that *SHOCK HORROR* a long-distance relationship has worked.

So, I got Karyn on-board to write a guest post for me about how to make a long-distance relationship work, because let's be honest the world is so full of skepticism these days that we rarely indulge ourselves in ideas that we could one day conduct such a fairy-tale relationship. Karyn offers a fantastic little injection of romance for HauteFuture and reminds us that nothing worth having in life comes easy, but working that bit harder means the benefits are awesome... 

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Long-distance relationships are one of those things that everyone has an opinion on; it’s either extremely romantic and exciting, or it’s a stupid idea, will never last, and is bound to end in a messy break up. I always loved the fairytale of them, but in reality I thought there was no way to make them work.

My opinion of these kinds of relationships has dramatically changed in the past year. After spending the summer of 2011 working in Disney World in Orlando, (where I met the beautiful and talented Miss Gabriella) I returned home with a whole new outlook on life and love.  I myself am now in a long-distance relationship, with a Mexican...now there’s something I’d never thought I’d say!

***See, this is us in the bath if you don't believe we met in Florida. Our tans testify to that...***

I worked alongside him at ESPN, where we spent almost every day together for 4 weeks before anything happened. It was just one of those things where I was flirting with him, but I wasn’t sure if he was flirting back. But in my experience, when it comes to guys, if you have a hunch about something, it’s usually true. So one night, I told him to come to my apartment after our shift, to be perfectly honest, I thought he would respectfully decline and attend some crazy Mexican party with too many Four loko’s. He didn’t. That first night was the strangest, but nicest night I had ever had. Now before your mind starts to wander, there was no kissing or nakedness or even any hand-holding, but that was the night that it all began.

From then on things moved incredibly quickly! If a friend had told me that within 10 days of dating a guy she was telling him she loved him and they had already planned their long-distance relationship (approximately 7000 miles), it’s safe to say I would have my doubts and think she had gone loco!! But that was what happened, just because things progress at a quicker than normal rate, doesn’t mean to say that they are any less real. When someone has an impact on you like Mau had on me, it makes you a little crazy, but it also makes you trust and love like you never have before. When you are blown away by the smallest things, like waiting around until you finish your shift an hour after he finishes his, or tucking you in at night before you go to sleep, opening the car door for you, or making sure he walks on the side of the pavement nearest the road, all the while holding your smaller (and a lot whiter) hand and keeping you safe on the other side. When all of the little, seemingly meaningless gestures, make you smile and your heart flutter. That’s when you know that someone like him is definitely worth holding on to.

So here I am, living 7000 miles away from my boyfriend, but it is a small price to pay in order to be in the most trusting and loving relationship I have had to date. People always ask ‘Isn’t it so hard?’...Well, not really. Partly because we now both have Blackberries so we bbm all the time, and Skype almost every day, but mostly because it seems to be a general rule that if you want something badly enough, you’ll do whatever it takes to get it.  The fact is, even though I never thought that in a million years I would be able to say my boyfriend is Mexican and his first language isn’t even English, I wouldn’t have it any other way! Comparing him with all the guys I’ve dated, and all the guys I know in my own country, there is absolutely no way I would trade! Sorry, but if you want an old-fashioned, chivalric, treats-you-like-royalty kind of guy...Mexico is definitely a place to start looking. That is one country where chivalry is definitely NOT dead.

Then there’s the more realistic aspect of the relationship. If we’re lucky, we’ll only be with each other twelve or thirteen weeks out the year. Paying £700-£800 a year for a flight half way across the world whilst you’re still a student and therefore not making any real money is not easy. It’s now March and I’m still trying to scrape together the last few hundred pounds for a flight in June. I haven’t been able to do a lot with my money besides pay my phone bill and perhaps new make-up if I desperately need it. All the money I earned before Christmas was spent over the 5 weeks that Mau was here on going for dinner and visiting castles etc., basically it was spent on being a tourist, which I may add is NOT cheap! Besides the fact that I’m basically leading an anti-social life and being super tight  with money, what keeps me going is the fact that I will be spending my summer in Mexico, being an annoying tourist and probably getting sunburn and heatstroke. I think we can all agree that Scotland does not boast the weather of an exotic paradise like Cancun or Acapulco!

 

But this is the easy part, when we are both still students enjoying an excessive three month holiday at summer and at least six weeks at Christmas. We have the time to escape for a few months twice a year. But Mau will be graduating in the summer, so by Christmas 2012 he will be a GROWN-UP with a PROPER job, a prospect which fills almost every University student with dread. Employers don’t take too kindly to letting their employees gallivant off to Scotland for the winter. At most, two weeks in December/January, then at a push, 4 weeks in the summer (as I will still be studying) is all we’ll have. Don’t get me wrong, up until about a month ago, the thought of this brought me close to tears. My first thoughts were that there was no way it would ever work past the summer. Spending at most 7 weeks a year together was not the basis of a strong relationship, and it was bound to fall apart sooner or later, but in order to be in a relationship where you live in different time zones, you have to be serious, and I definitely see myself marrying Mau. So to me, the ‘long-distance relationship’ we have is only temporary. All going well, in 2-3 years we may actually be living on the same continent. We have a plan, but I think you need to have one if you’re in my kind of situation. Perhaps some of you may be thinking that we’re a little crazy to already be thinking of which country we’re going to live in once we’re married and if our children will be bi-lingual, but a relationship like ours wouldn’t survive more than a year without a plan.

After that rather negative, harshly realistic side to our relationship, let me tell you why living 7000 miles apart is better than living 7 miles apart. For starters, if Mau was always here and I could see him whenever I wanted to, I wouldn’t appreciate him as much as I do. The time we do get to spend together, we literally can’t keep our hands off each other; I seem to recall Mau following me from my living room to my kitchen for no other reason than just to be near me. You could argue that when we are together, it gets a bit too intense, but I would disagree. I’d rather call it time extremely well spent! It’s better to realise what you do have whilst you still have it! I get to spend my summer in Mexico for the fraction of the price anyone else would pay, and, fingers crossed, learn a new language! Everything is that little bit more special, like receiving flowers on Valentine’s Day; a pretty standard thing to do, but when they are sent from Mexico, it’s all the more thoughtful! Just to be able to hold his hand is priceless! I wouldn’t change him, or our situation for the world!

So if you are reading this and have a similar situation, if he or she is worth it, tough it out. I honestly can’t think of anything more incredible than finally reaching your wedding day after years of living on opposite sides of the world.

 

And to all you who are jetting off this summer on holidays with friends, travelling, or going abroad to work like I did, keep in mind that HE/SHE HAS TO BE WORTH IT! If they don’t blow you away, leave them behind!

***

I hope you can see now why I wanted Karyn to write me a guest post! I already knew how romantic her and Mau's love-story is and I just love hearing it, but I had no idea how amazing her writing was. I might even have to rope her into HauteFuture more often... So what have we learned from this post? Always choose Mexicans :D Karyn doesn't currently have a blog of her own. However, you can communicate with her via the comments section of this blog and she's agreed that if you have any questions or need any advice regarding long-distance relationships she's happy to help. Also, if you believe (like I) that Karyn should start her own blog, make sure you mention it in your comment!

I hope you're enjoying my guest posts so far. If you're at all interested in being a guest on my blog please read this post  about what we're looking for here at HauteFuture then send me an email at hautefuture@gmail.com I'm essentially welcoming anyone who wants a chance, so get involved. 

ps. Although we are all fresh young things, whenever Karyn and Mau feel ready to settle down I'm more than happy to attend a wedding in Mexico. Just saying. Oh, and Mau, you'd better have brothers!

My 21st Birthday!

Hello Sex Goddesses!

I'm still super busy and whilst it's been really hard not blogging I feel like it's given me much more time to study which is exactly why I did it...

Nonetheless, I still wanted to bring you guys up to date about my Birthday last Saturday and was dreading finding the time amidst my dissertation, assignments and revision to fill you in. But then, the lovely Vikki from Victoria's Vintage went and wrote a fab blog post about the weekend she spent with me for my Birthday so there, problem solved. I can fill you in by directing you over to her page...

So, click here to see what we got up to for my 21st Birthday.

Hope you like her page, please click 'Follow' over there if you haven't already <3

Thanks for all the support and your patience during my blog break, I have about ten different bloggers lined up for guest posts at the moment, so please keep an eye on my blog. Also, if you didn't spot it already, the lovely Sophie from Simple Sophie was the first guest blogger I've featured since my break and she wrote a wonderful piece about fighting acne. To check out the post, click here.

Until next time,
Love and snuggles
gabriellasofia
x

Guest Feature: Fighting Acne Together by Sophie Nightingale...

Hello beauties!

So I'm sure some of you are aware of the very difficult blog break I'm taking at the moment in order to focus on completing my degree... If you didn't, go check out this post where I get all sentimental about how 'I love you guys' and 'my blog is my life' :) Anyways, I wasn't going to leave all of you lovely readers in the lurch with NO material on how to obtain your very own HauteFuture was I? So whilst I'm still vlogging a little bit (it is less time consuming than blogging), and doing guest posts on some other blogs, I also decided to hunt for all the other fab bloggers out there and invite them all to get involved and post some great guest features for me. If you're interesting in writing a guest feature read this and send me an email, I welcome anyone even non-bloggers and the more the merrier!

I've had a fantastic response so far and it's really shown to me how supporting my friends, family and the blogging community really can be when you need their help. So thank you guys :) I'm currently working on different ideas with about ten guests, but without further ado let me introduce my first guest...

The beautiful Sophie Nightingale from Simple Sophie contacted me about a week ago with two awesome ideas. I'm not going to tell you about one of them as she may write that one up too because I was so in love with both of her pitches! However, we both felt like her idea about how to conquer acne would make the perfect first guest post because having experienced bad skin in the past when Sophie said that there isn't enough blog coverage on this 'embarrassing' topic, I realized that she was so right! And isn't that outrageous? Hundreds of thousands of people world-wide suffer with acne and yet it's almost treated like a dirty word in the beauty community. So this post is all about the journey Sophie has personally experienced and the tips she's picked up along the way....

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I’ve had acne for almost all of my secondary school life. It started at the end of year seven and I still have it now at almost 18. That makes it just over 5 years. I find acne is very rarely, if at all, spoken about in the blogging world. It’s considered a taboo subject, an embarrassment, something related to dirt and being unhealthy. But it shouldn’t be.

Over the past few years I’ve been on numerous different types of medication from antibiotics to contraceptive pills. I’ve used high-street cleansers and prescribed creams, all promising to reduce the effects of acne and to stop it completely. But here I am, 5 years on, still going to the doctor every few months for more medication.

Anyway I’m not here to have a rant! I’ve learnt a few tricks of the trade over time and I’m here to share them with you.

I think it’s important to use a variety of products. I find that if I stick to one cleanser, like the No7 gentle cleanser I use, then it stops working after a while, so I alternate every couple of days. I also use a variety of strength products, for example the Vita Derm products are designed to target blemishes so have specific agents, whereas my Clarins cleansing gel is designed to improve your skin all round. In the past I have been prescribed some very strong cleansers to fight my spots. They were very harsh on my skin and some even bleached my towels!? I don’t use these anymore as they were more trouble than they were worth making my skin very dry and irritable.

This Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel promises to improve your skin in a few different ways. I try to use at least once a day and I apply it over make-up so it takes that off as well as cleansing my skin. After a few weeks my skin was noticeably healthier and brighter and a lot softer to touch. It’s really easy to apply, and rinsing off with warm water means all the dirt in my pores is washed away leaving my skin feeling smooth and clean.

I use No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Cleanser when I’m in a rush or staying with friends. It’s really easy to take off make-up with, but it can leave a greasy feel on my skin so I don’t use it that often.

I only bought this product recently as I had a No7 £5 off voucher and thought I’d give it a try. I have a lot of visible pores in the centre of my face by my nose and cheeks. After using this Pore Refining Serum every day for a couple of weeks, I can definitely see an improvement as my pores are not as visible and my skin looks healthier and smoother.

I bought these Vita Derm products after a facial I had in South Africa last year. I use the exfoliator every time I wash my hair so I can leave it on whilst I put my conditioner on, and I use the AHA Active Gel on my blemishes every evening. All of these are very gentle on my skin and do what they say on the bottle. However you don’t see an automatic improvement, it’s developed over the last 8 months I’ve been using them.

I know Sudacrem is something you would associate with baby’s bums, but trust me you can use it on spots too! It tends to dry blemishes out and reduce their appearance, without drying out your skin. I don’t use this regularly as it can make my skin quite slimey so difficult to apply make-up, but if I have a patch of spots then I tend to rub this on and they reduce in appearance overnight.

All of these products combined have improved my skin so much over the past year. I would also recommend Tea-Tree products as I swore by these in my early years of acne, before realising my skin had become immune to them! Using acne fighting products helps a lot, but a few simple lifestyle changes can improve your skin immensely and help prevent brake outs.

• Eat healthy. Literally every time I eat a McDonalds or pizza or some other food full of fats, I can almost see the result on my face. My skin gets noticeably worse whenever I eat badly. I try to eat at least my ‘5-a-day’ if not more, and combine dried fruits and nuts into my diet. It’s important to eat a variety of food types as they are all nutritious in different ways. I have a 75cl water bottle that I fill every morning so I can hydrate myself throughout the day. I finish it every day to make sure my skin is kept hydrated. When I drink lots of water I find my skin looks a lot brighter and less greasy.

• Clean bed sheets. This may sound weird, but I did an experiment a few months ago where I left my bed sheets on for more than two weeks. I gradually noticed a cluster of spots near each ear on my cheeks where I had been lying on my pillow in the night. This may sound OTT but little changes like this can make a big improvement and prevent breakouts. I have bed sheets on for 2 weeks until I change them – I love the feel of crisp clean bed sheets too!

• Exercise and fresh air. When I spend a day inside without going out for fresh air or exercise, I can see the result on my skin. I also get quite grouchy and the skin around my eyes darkens. Exercising also releases endorphins which are proven to lift your mood and improve circulation which is an extra bonus!

• Make-up. I know a lot of people recommend you don’t wear make-up if you have acne as it makes your skin worse. To be honest when I have long breaks without make-up, for example on holiday, my skin gets considerably better. Unfortunately it never stays like that! There’s no way I would feel comfortable being in public without make-up on. I try to only buy hypoallergenic products as these are spot-friendly, but at the end of it, I just want to cover my skin up and feel comfortable!

I really don’t think that acne is something people should be embarrassed about. Obviously I was seriously self-conscious in my second year of high school as I was the only one of my friends with spots. I gradually got used to it though and I’ve preserved with lifestyle changes and taking medication every day. I hope my honesty has inspired spot-sufferers to open up about their secrets to battling acne and share their tricks of the trade to overcome this condition.

***

Sophie has been absolutely fabulous to work with. She came to me with two great ideas which were just the sort of things I was looking for, and managed to get a first draft to me within a week which is commendable when I know that everyone has busy lives of their own. Not to mention the piece was so well written that there were virtually no notes, and I was really impressed by the personal touch when she candidly confesses to a world which might not take to it kindly, 'I’ve had acne for almost all of my secondary school life'. I really hope that you'll all head over to her blog Simple Sophie and click 'Follow'. My favorite thing about her blog has to be her photographs, they almost look professional! This blog is really going places in my opinion. 

Please feel free to leave a comment down below, but also, go interact with Sophie on her own page or on her Twitter account (@sophnightingale) as she's so lovely I'm sure she'd like to chat with you!

Thanks for reading guys and if you like the idea of getting some writing practice in and gaining some extra blog coverage make sure you get in touch with me at hautefuture@gmail.com and I will definitely encourage and support you to write a piece as wonderful as this.

Thanks once again Sophie, can't wait for your next piece :D

Until next time...

Love

gabriellasofia